Wisdom teeth are a “scar of human evolution”.
They’re not just pointless, though—they’re also problematic. About 800,000 to 200,000 years ago, early humans’ brains started growing at a rapid pace—so much so that they ballooned to three times their original size. When that happened, it changed the shape of the braincase (the back part of the skull) and its position relative to the dental arcade (rows of teeth).
The dental arcade shortened, and suddenly there was no longer enough room for third molars. And since the genes that determine the makeup of our teeth evolve separately from those that control brain development, humans were stuck dealing with the consequences of a crowded mouth, according to Live Science.
Click here for more facts about wisdom teeth 🦷: [trib.al]
It's fascinating to learn about the evolution of wisdom teeth. Our growing brains caused changes in the shape and size of our skulls, leading to a crowded mouth and the emergence of problematic wisdom teeth. It's interesting how different genetic factors affect teeth and brain development separately.
If you ever find yourself in a pinch with your wisdom teeth, like experiencing pain or other issues, it's essential to seek professional help. Emergency dental services, such as those provided by Emergency Dental Beaverton, can come to the rescue. They offer 24-hour urgent dental care near you, ensuring you get the assistance you need promptly.
An interesting inditement of dentist malpractice!
Thanks. I enjoyed the knowledge
I lost my real upper left back molar as a child....my wisdom tooth came in & is still there doing a fine job. (The others were extracted).
Plus I can tell a lot about a new dentist if they do a double-take upon examining my mouth.
My dentist told me I was genetically superior because I only had 3.
I had all four extracted at the same time. Before I went under, I asked and the dentist said it would take a bit less than an hour. When I woke up, I saw that almost three hours had passed. The dentist seemed peeved that he had a harder job to get it done... Pass the opioids...
I find the name “wisdom” teeth somewhat ironic as the age when they normally erupt is in the late teens to early 20s. Looking back at my earlier version of me at that age, I was never smarter (so I thought) but wise? Ha! If they really were wisdom teeth they would erupt at about the time we need dentures!